Five Reasons John Watson Hates Christmas
by PaiPerMeent
Summary: 5-1 and 221B format detailing why John Watson isn't much for celebrating the Holidays, and why Sherlock is. Friendship, romance if you squint. COMPLETE!
1. Santa Clause

**A/N:** After stumbling across several fics with the "5-1" or similar format, I decided to try my hand at it. With a twist! I also added the 221B format to increase the difficulty. Everything is typed up, all I have to do is upload 'em now! So, I hope you enjoy! Reviews would make me happy!

**Summary: **There are five reasons John Watson hates Christmas, and one reason why Sherlock loves Christmas.

**Format:** 221B / 5-1

* * *

><p><strong>The First Reason John Watson Hates Christmas<strong>

As a child, John Watson always loved Christmas. The snow on the ground, the respite from Primary school, the extra time with his family.

Things were brilliant... Until Harry told him there was no Santa. At first, John refused to listen to his sister. She eventually cornered him with the facts he was loath to admit made sense. Flying reindeer, a sleigh carrying billions of toys, a trip round the world in one night while visiting every child on the nice list. John's belief had faltered at this, but when Harry stated that a fat man in a red suit breaking in to a house was sure to have the police called on him, he stopped believing altogether.

Seven year old John felt empty without the belief of Santa, and the moment everything clicked in his mind, he burst in to tears. Their Mum quickly sent Harry to her room and scooped up her youngest in her arms, sitting him down on a kitchen chair and going to make John a cup of cocoa. She set the small mug in front of him and repositioned him so he was sitting on her lap, and while it soothed John, the cocoa and his Mum's lap were unable to regenerate his faith. Mummsy would receive the credit this year for John's new bike.


	2. New Years Eve

**A/N:** Part 2 of 6. Reviews would make me happy!

**Summary: **There are five reasons John Watson hates Christmas, and one reason why Sherlock loves Christmas.

**Format:** 221B / 5-1

* * *

><p><strong>The Second Reason John Watson Hates Christmas<strong>

It had been three years since John was faced with the fact that Santa Clause was only a myth. He was a man now that he was in his double digits, and as any man is, he was social. He played Soldier with the neighborhood boys, he avoided the other girls with tenacity. Just a few days ago a snowball had hit him in the face and he'd lost one of his baby teeth, but that hardly compared to the amount of bruises on his knees.

One thing ten year old John loved was making his father proud. Whenever John helped his mum without being asked he would receive a pat on the head and a "good job" from dad. John had made dad proud this year, and he knew it was true because his dad suggested John stay awake to celebrate the new year. He looked down to John and said "If he can," with a wink.

Although he was determined to stay awake, John fell asleep on the sofa before ten o'clock came around. He woke up alone, a duvet covering him. He heard a rustle. "Dad?" He asked. His dad had a bag in his hand and told his son to go back to sleep. The last thing John remembers of his dad is his back.


	3. Samantha Richards

**A/N:** Part 3 of 6. c:

**Summary: **There are five reasons John Watson hates Christmas, and one reason why Sherlock loves Christmas.

**Format:** 221B / 5-1

* * *

><p><strong>The Third Reason John Watson Hates Christmas<strong>

Things had gone surprisingly well for John in the five years since his Father's departure. He'd hit puberty at thirteen, and his voice cracked often, but not past fourteen. He'd had several awkward sexual encounters already, and he was positive that his calling in life would call him eventually. In the meantime, he meant to enjoy life, even if that meant failing some classes.

He'd overcome his fear of rejection so he could ask Samantha Richards to the cinema with him. She was a cute brunette with a spattering of freckles across her cheeks and nose. They were going out for a few months when Christmas came around, and, despite the memory of his father leaving, John was determined to prove that Christmas could be enjoyable. He was also determined to tell Samantha he loved her. He'd made her a bracelet that had turned out quite well.

He wrapped it in striped paper and was ready to give it to her. Before he could, Samantha stopped him. She told him that she had a crush on Kurt Marsters now, apologizing and promising that it wasn't personal. John was a great guy, just... not right for her. John's heart felt broken, but he laughed it off and, when he got home, hid the gift behind a bookcase.


	4. Binge Drinking

**A/N:** Part 4 of 6. o:

**Summary: **There are five reasons John Watson hates Christmas, and one reason why Sherlock loves Christmas.

**Format:** 221B / 5-1

* * *

><p><strong>The Fourth Reason John Watson Hates Christmas<strong>

At sixteen, John was as self-involved as many boys his age. The pain he felt from Samantha's break-up only surfaced when he thought of her, which wasn't often anymore. He'd begun playing rugby and was quite good at it, despite his size. However, he'd received a hard blow in the last game he'd played and had been sat out these last three games. To add insult to injury, the entire team had found out his middle name, calling him Hamish whenever they passed him.

Two weeks of ridicule passed before John had enough. A nerd had called him by his middle name and John pressed the boy against a locker. He demanded the teen tell him how everyone knew his middle name, and the boy gave him the answer readily enough. He admitted that his sister had let the secret slip at a party last month, asking where her "cute little Hamish," was. Nobody thought anything of it, knowing Harry's reputation as a drunk, but she slipped out that "Hamish" and "John" were the same person when someone asked. John asked about his sister's "reputation as a drunk," but was unable to get further information from the frightened boy.

Come Christmas eve, John would learn of Harry's "reputation as a drunk" when she went on a binge.


	5. War

**A/N:** Part 5 of 6. u:

**Summary: **There are five reasons John Watson hates Christmas, and one reason why Sherlock loves Christmas.

**Format:** 221B / 5-1

* * *

><p><strong>The Fifth Reason John Watson Hates Christmas<strong>

John had learned the hard way in his six years of service that Christmas doesn't reach the war. Bullets aren't forced to miss their mark because of Holiday Spirit, Christmas cheer doesn't stop a wound from festering, and no gift is more beautiful than not having to amputate a limb. But that present doesn't come as often as it should.

Occassionaly there was a Christmas gift of extra medical supplies. Things such as gauze, anesthesia, Tylenol, disinfectants and bandages. The things that were always in short supply because of how often they were needed. Still, "occasionally" is a far cry from "always". Four of the six years John served were bereft of any extra supplies. Those years...

The first two years in action, John worked with skilled doctors. Any surplus they might have (but did not) receive wouldn't be necessary, but appreciated. Those doctors were rotated out and replaced with doctors closer to his own level. John was then seen as the expert, having two years under his belt to the newcomers. He didn't feel like an expert.

He didn't receive extra that year. The last two years of his service were when the surplus was delivered. Although it helped his spirit, he knew by then that Christmas doesn't mix with the Battlefield.


	6. Christmas Blues

**A/N:** Part 6 of 6! Wooo!

**Summary: **There are five reasons John Watson hates Christmas, and one reason why Sherlock loves Christmas.

**Format:** 221B / 5-1

* * *

><p><strong>Why Sherlock Holmes Loves Christmas<strong>

There were no sentimental reasons behind Sherlock's fondness for Christmas. Until John moved in. Sherlock found John's dislike for the Holiday season to be a hindrance on cases, and was determined to set it right. He started out simple. He would take John to certain musical performances that had an undertone of holiday cheer. For a case, of course. When those outings ended in John being more miserable than when they'd left home, Sherlock decided it was time to try harder.

Sherlock began taking John around London, showing him certain stores nobody knew existed, yet they flourished during this time of year. He included John with most cases that had nothing to do with murder, trying to let him believe that this time of year could be riddled with happy endings. Of course, Sherlock didn't let John know that the only reason he'd liked this time of year before was for the increased crime rate. Sherlock was starting to like the look John had when a family was reunited, or a precious heirloom restored to its rightful owner.

When Christmas came around, John was actually excited. He'd contacted Harry (well, sent her a Christmas card) and had helped Sherlock decorate the flat. When Sherlock saw John smiling he knew he'd chased away his friend's Christmas blues.


End file.
